Flock Safety Technology
Flock Safety Technology
The Fairfield Township Police Department has implemented Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology to enhance public safety, support criminal investigations, recover stolen vehicles, identify vehicles associated with criminal activity, and assist in locating missing or endangered persons, including those associated with AMBER Alerts, Silver Alerts, and other law enforcement notifications.
How the System Works
ALPR cameras are strategically installed throughout Fairfield Township at locations selected to maximize public safety and investigative effectiveness. As vehicles travel past a camera, the system captures still images of the license plate and visible vehicle characteristics, including the make, model, color, body style, and direction of travel.
Because many criminal offenses involve the use of a vehicle before, during, or after the crime, ALPR technology provides investigators with valuable information to identify vehicles associated with investigations.
When a vehicle matches a law enforcement hot list, such as a reported stolen vehicle or a vehicle associated with a wanted person, the system can generate a real-time alert to authorized personnel. In addition to these alerts, authorized users may search historical vehicle detections to develop investigative leads related to criminal offenses, missing or endangered persons, or other legitimate law enforcement investigations.
Information Collected
The ALPR system records:
- License plate numbers
- Vehicle make, model, color, and body style
- Date and time of the detection
- Camera location
- Direction of travel
The system does not utilize facial recognition technology, identify drivers or passengers, or collect personally identifiable information beyond the vehicle and license plate information captured in public view. The system is not used for traffic enforcement, such as speed enforcement or traffic signal violations.
Data Security and Retention
All data collected through the ALPR system is securely encrypted during transmission and storage. Information is retained in accordance with department policy and applicable law. Unless preserved for a criminal investigation or another authorized law enforcement purpose, ALPR data is automatically deleted after the department's established retention period of 30 days.
Privacy and Authorized Use
Access to ALPR data is restricted to trained and authorized personnel and is permitted only for legitimate law enforcement and public safety purposes. All searches and system activity are electronically logged and subject to auditing and supervisory review to ensure compliance with department policy.
The Fairfield Township Police Department does not use ALPR technology for generalized surveillance, to monitor individuals engaged in lawful activities, or for civil immigration enforcement. The system is not used to track individuals based on race, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or other protected characteristics.
Information obtained through the ALPR system is used solely to support public safety, criminal investigations, the recovery of stolen vehicles, the location of missing or endangered persons, and other lawful public safety functions. The department is committed to using ALPR technology responsibly while protecting individual privacy and ensuring the system is used only in accordance with department policy and applicable law.
Additional Resources
You can view the Fairfield Township PD Transparency Portal (here)